I've been getting emails and messages from others who own Tiny Homes about how to deal with media curiosity. Sometimes I feel like I'm a novelty show in the era of "bigger is better", and sometimes I ask myself how many more interviewers and photographers I will let into my personal life and space. I get it--they want to understand what it is that sparks inside people to cause them to suddenly say "No" to the "desirable" societal norms where we can go as big, as fast, and as far as possible.

How much do we say? How much do we want the entire Internet seeing, knowing, and critiquing for years to come? Will it end your privacy? Open your life to scrutiny and invasion? Put you in the spotlight of the powers that be?

There is always more than one way of looking at it--potentially negative or potentially positive. I say potentially, because this is your home, and this is your life--make it what you want.

1. "No comment." Make friends with this phrase--it's not rude in media circles, it says "respect my space." You can choose what you want them to know, and you have every right to state your boundaries and have them respected.

2. You'll survive the whole process. If you want your privacy back, simply disappear from view. It helps to identify what your goals are in receiving exposure, and speak to those ends. Your life purposes and goals are your own. If you want to impact change, inspire or educate people, poke holes in how life "should be", exposure can help you--but identify your goals and establish your boundaries of privacy. You can choose to fall back into obscurity at any point, as exemplified by many celebrities who spent years in the spotlight.

3. But, don't read the comments. Seriously. Understand that anonymous people living on their couches live to criticize, and they all know how to do it better than you did it, and they'd change probably everything you did to do it better, faster, cheaper, and more efficiently.

4. Make it work for you. If you're nervous about by-laws and zoning regulations, you can either live in fear and tread softly, or you can choose to be on the forefront of change. Communities all have Official Community Plans--when your OCP comes up for discussion, show up. Speak about the advantages municipalities and Tiny Home owners would experience through change. Living in guilt or shame or hiding causes people to believe that you are guilty, so live with head held high, and people will start to shift their thinking. But be patient. It takes time.... sometimes, a lot of time.

RECENT POSTS

With the influx of tiny house tv shows, tiny house blogs and all the tiny house eye candy on Pinterest and the like, more and more questions (and opinions!) about why the heck someone would choose to live tiny are popping up around the interwebs. In the hopes that we can share a little of our tiny house living insights, here are a few reasons why tiny house living may be right for you.

When it comes to tiny house living, half the challenge is downsizing your material possessions to what can realistically fit into 400 square feet or less. Even with storage maximized under stairs, chairs and random nooks-and-crannies, it is doubtful that everything you currently own will fit in your tiny house. Here are the top 3 downsizing tips to get what you want and need into your tiny house.

We get asked this tiny house question countless times in a day: where can I park my tiny house? Before we dig in too deep, let us be clear: this article is a guideline and an ideas bank and not an authoritative document on the ins-and-outs of tiny house parking laws. Please do not take this as legal advice. More like valuable information from your knowledgeable friend that wants the best for you and your tiny house.

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Tiny Homes Canada

Tiny Homes Canada specializes in custom-built homes, specially designed to suit your needs and preferences. In such a small space, every square inch is precious, and your home should be built to accommodate you!

Based out of Abbotsford, BC, we are proud to use re-purposed materials as well as ecologically friendly materials. Each of our houses are built with year-round living in mind, and we are committed to providing the support you are looking for to get your home from dream to reality.